


Faith

by Aj4668



Series: The Diner [2]
Category: Check Please! (Webcomic)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, M/M, OMGCP 14 Days of Love, Patater Week, Suspicions, angsty
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-07
Updated: 2017-02-07
Packaged: 2018-09-22 15:34:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,346
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9614396
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aj4668/pseuds/Aj4668
Summary: Kent knows something is wrong. He just does, though he can’t specify what it is, he just knows.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Beta'd by my awesome friend [fearlessly](http://archiveofourown.org/users/fearlessly), who has beta'd a ton for me lately, with 14 Days of Love and Patater Week happening at the same time. I don't deserve her. <3  
>   
> This fits both Feb 6 for 14 Days of Love and Feb 7 of Patater Week, so it's getting tagged for both. It's just past midnight where I am, so yeah.  
>   
> I am finally using Etta James' [I'd Rather Go Blind](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u9sq3ME0JHQ), which was requested in the original prompt, and I still feel guilty for not using then.  
>   
>   
> This is a missing scene from part 1, taking place a year after they celebrated Kent's Stanley Cup win together, when they first got together. You don't have to read part 1, but it would help. :)  
> 

  
  
  
Kent knows something is wrong. He just does, though he can’t specify what it is, he just knows. Alexei hasn’t been his normal chatty, goofy self, and he’s been hanging out with Jack and Bitty more than usual. It’s the off-season, so Kent is spending the summer in Providence, which means he’s alone in Alexei’s apartment with only Kit for company. Again. 

It’s not that Kent minds the alone time, usually, and the rational part of his brain tells him that it’s good that they aren’t living in each other’s pockets all the damned time, but this is the third night in a row, and Kent doesn’t like it. Kent wasn’t even invited. Alexei told him that Jack and Bitty needed to talk to him about something, and what the hell does that even mean? Last night, it was that they were going over Falcs’ stuff for the upcoming season. Kent doesn’t even remember the excuse from the night before that. 

Well, it’s bullshit is what it is. Kent knows he’s going to his bad place, but it hurts. He puts on some music, opting for ‘I’d Rather Go Blind” by Etta James. His mother used to play it when she was upset with his father. Oh yes, he’s in his bad place.

It’s 10:20 p.m. on a Friday night. Kent is sitting on their comfortable couch, alone, in their dimly-lit living room, with only Kit at his side. His boyfriend of three years is at Jack and Bitty’s house. He doesn’t know why, only that he wasn’t invited. What are they doing while he’s sitting alone for the third night in a row? If he wanted to be alone with his cat, he could be in Vegas.

Is Alexei unhappy with him? Does he want to leave? Has he finally realized that Kent is messed up? That he’s too much work with his insecurities and doubts? Kent had done a lot of work with his therapist, but he isn’t perfect. No, he’s human. He has a traumatic past, and as much as he’s unpacked and worked through his baggage, sometimes it haunts him. 

“Ooooo so you see, I love you so much that I don't want to watch you leave me baby,” Kent sings, his eyes starting to tear. 

Fuck. Alexei can’t leave him. He just can’t. They’ve come so far together, love each other so much. Alexei is his safe place, his soft landing, his home. Alexei is his person. 

But then why isn’t he here? Kent goes to the kitchen to get another beer. He opens the bottle, and tosses the cap in the proper bin for recycling as he takes a long pull. He goes back to the living room, and flings himself on the large, soft couch, sighing. 

No more music. Enough sad shit. He turns the TV on, finds one of the Real Housewives on Bravo. It’s a repeat, but he hasn’t seen this one. He loses himself in it for a bit, watching as two women fight over something. Oh. There are cheating rumors about one of the women, or her husband. He isn't sure which yet, having tuned in in the middle of the screaming match.

Wait. Is Alexei cheating on him? With Jack and Bitty? No, they wouldn’t go for a threesome. Maybe it’s Jack OR Bitty. No, those two are impenetrable, he’d bet his life on it. So maybe he’s somewhere else, with someone else? Fuck. 

It’s 11:10, Alexei isn’t home yet, and he hasn’t called or texted. He left a little before eight, so where is he?

Fuck it, he’s texting him.

 

TO Boyfriend:

Baby, where are you? 

 

Kent waits. Three minutes go by, and he gets no response. He throws his phone down on the couch, finishes his beer, and starts to cry. He leans forward, and puts his head in his hands, and sobs. He stays like this for a few minutes, and then stops himself.

“No, not gonna do this. I’m Kent Fucking Parson.” He stands, his hands in fists at his sides. “If he’s cheating, fuck him. I’m Kent Fucking Pars…” With that, he falls to his knees, crying again. Who is he kidding? He won’t survive it if Alexei is cheating on him.

He hears a key in the door. He jumps up, wiping his face, and drops on the couch, desperately trying to appear casual.

“Hey baby, I’m just see your text. Was driving,” Alexei says as he walks into the living room. “Have you been having… Baby? What’s wrong? Why you cry?” Alexei drops to his knees in front of Kent, and takes his hands, a worried look in his eyes.

“Why don’t you tell me?” Kent asks sarcastically.

“What? I’m not understand. Are you hurt?” Alexei starts looking Kent over, with his eyes and hands, which Kent brushes off.

“I’m fine. I’m not hurt, at least not physically.”

“Kent? Talk to me. You are cry. Tell me why, baby.”

“Where have you been the last three nights?”

Alexei looks confused, and with a tilt of his head, says, “I’m tell you this. I’m at Jack and Bitty’s.”

“Why? What has been going on for THREE nights that I can’t be there? Why can they talk to you but not me? I’ve known Jack for so much longer than you, so why can’t he talk to me?” Kent takes a deep breath. “I’m only going to ask this once, and I expect an honest answer. You’ve never lied to me before, but you have now. I know you have. Falcs stuff? Talking to Jack and Bitty about things I can’t be a part of? So tell me. Just tell me. Are you cheating on me?”

Alexei’s eyes fall, but not before Kent notices them fill with tears. When he looks back up, he seems nothing but sorry. “Oh baby, I’m being so sorry. I’m not thinking.” He reaches out and put a hand on Kent’s face. “I’m swearing that I am not cheating on you. I love you, only you. Stay here. Just stay here, okay?”

“Where are you going? Don’t leave. What’s going on?” Kent shakes his head, but Alexei is already gone, heading in the direction of their bedroom. When he comes back, just a few seconds later, he’s mumbling.

“I’m telling Bitty this wouldn’t work. Never listen. Go with gut, not Bitty.”

“What wouldn’t work? Us?” Kent whispers, as his palms sweat and his mouth goes dry with fear of the answer to his question.

“Shit. No, not us,” Alexei explains, dropping to his knees again. “Never us. We work, always work. Listen to me, baby. I’m love you for long time now, am love you forever. Want you forever. So I’m talk to Jack and Bitty about how to propose. Bitty had ideas. Big ideas.” He rolls his eyes, and Kent manages to laugh through his tears. He’s so fucking relieved, and totally overwhelmed with emotion. 

 

Alexei isn’t cheating. He’s proposing.

 

“That’s where I’ve been, planning proposal.” Alexei leans over, grabs the remote, turns the TV off, and shifts so he is on one knee. Kent gasps.

“Kent Parson, I’m love you so much. You are making me so happy, happier than I’m ever being. I’m wanting to love you forever, and make you happier than you ever be. Will you marry me?”

“Yes, of course yes.” Kent grabs his face, and kisses him tenderly. “I love you.”

“Even though we are having no fancy dinner, no candles, no skywriter?” Alexei teases as he pulls two rings out of his pocket, and slides one on Kent’s left hand, then hands the other to Kent. “I got matching rings. I'm want whole world to know we belong together. Is okay?”

Kent sighs as he slides the ring on Alexei’s finger. “It’s perfect. I love you so much.” He pauses as he realizes all that Alexei said. “Wait. Skywriter?”

Alexei looks up suddenly. “Oh no. I’m think Bitty needs to cancel skywriter.”

Kent just laughs as he pulls Alexei in for another kiss.  
  
  


**Author's Note:**

>   
>  Feb 6 of 14 Days of Love is Ruined Surprises, and Feb 7 of Patater Week is Proposals/Wedding Day/Wedding Night.


End file.
